Final Fantasy IV Walkthrough, Part Seven: Troia and the Magnetic Cave

- While you’re in Castle Baron, head to the east wing of the Castle. In the small antechamber leading outside is a secret door that was previously blocked by a guard. You can hit the switch beside this door to open it up, then wander through to find two Ethers, two Unicorn Horns, and two Phoenix Downs.

- Also in Castle Baron, you can now access the eastern tower. On the ground floor you’ll find two Hermes’ Shoes and two Bacchus’s Ciders. On the second floor are two Hi-Potions, and on the top are two Tents and two Ethers, one in a pot beside the stairs. There’s also an Elixir in a pot in the basement, and if you travel into the bottom reaches of the basement… well. You’ll want to return here later, needless to say.

- Fly northwest of Baron. Your next destination is Troia, a castle town in the midst of a large forest. You can land your airship in the small gap right beside the town. The enemies here are generally rather weak against fire, and if you employ Tellah’s Firaga spell you can grind to your heart’s content. He absorbs a fair amount of MP from Treants each time he uses Osmose.

- Have a poke around Troia. The Weapon and Armour Shops are preeeeeetty useless, and the Item Shop is… standard. In the middle of town is a building of seemingly-ill-repute; you’ll find something later that will allow you to access another section of this place.

- Dip down into the water in the southeast and follow the canals through town to the north. You’ll find a Namingway near a set of stairs leading into trees. Head right through the trees to find a small grassy area with a girl who bears some important info for later. Check the left side of the grass to find a hidden Ether.

- Now for Troia Castle. Enter the Castle’s main hall and you’ll find paths to the right and the left. Check the east wing first and you’ll find, through a few doors, a set of three staircases. You’ll find a Bacchus’s Cider in a jar down the middle stairs; the right stairs lead to chests containing two Tents, two Hi-Potions, two Ethers, and two Ruby Rings; the left stairs currently lead to a dead end.

- Head to the west wing of the Castle. Here you’ll find Edward, wounded from the shipwreck. He’ll give you the Twin Harp. This is absolutely vital in the next dungeon.

- Head back to the world map. You now need to reach a nearby cave, and there are so many trees that the airship won’t do the trick. Head north from Troia, following the mountain range on your right, until you see a small, semi-conspicuous cluster of trees in the far north. This leads to a Chocobo Village. Speak to the Black Chocobo here and it will take you on its back and set off into the sky. (Speaking to a White Chocobo is also wise if you require healing.) Black Chocobos can only land in forests, and when you get back onto this Chocobo it will immediately return to the Chocobo Village.

- Fly east and across a small stretch of water. In the midst of a vast mountain range you’ll find a cave. This is your destination.

Magnetic Cave

- The first thing to note about this place is the peculiar effect it generates. If your characters are wearing anything metallic, they will be instantly and irreparably paralyzed while in battle. The only way to remove this effect is to unequip anything metallic, namely swords, shields, helms, armour, gauntlets, and the like. The only weapons to survive unscathed are Yang’s claws, and Tellah can still use his magic. Needless to say, this is a very annoying effect, and it’s kinda easier to get through this dungeon simply by running from enemies. Otherwise Tellah’s MP is going to take a hell of a beating before you reach the boss.

- Head straight east across the first bridge and you’ll find a Hi-Potion. Backtrack and head south, then follow the path to the next set of stairs. There’s a chest near the stairs containing a Unicorn Horn.

- B2. Head to the left and you’ll find a chasm. Go around to the northwest side to find an Ether. Then make your way to the northeast side of the area in general. You’ll find a small room containing 2,000 gil and an Ether. These collected, head straight west to find more stairs.

- B3. There’s a room nearby with a save point. Pop in, then head back to the main room and go south along the bridges. There’s a room in the southeast corner containing Spider’s Silk, a Hi-Potion, and an Hourglass. Return to the main room and wander west, then travel north down the middle of a stony corridor to a door. Inside is a Fairy Claw and stairs.

- B4. Follow the bridge to the north until you see a bundle of candles. Theres a bridge to your right; it leads to a save point. Save up, then return to the area’s main platform and head north through the candles. A chest near here contains an Emergency Exit. Grab it, then go through the door in the midst of the candles.

- The Dark Elf is in the crystal room beyond. Step up and fight. You can’t possibly win. A cut scene will follow, assuming you got the Twin Harp, and when it’s over the power over the Magnetic Cave will be gone, allowing you to equip your weapons again. Suit up, save if you want, and challenge the Dark Elf again.

Dark Elf

This is a two-part battle. The Dark Elf starts out using a relatively weak elemental combo attack to hit everyone. He’ll then continue using that attack, using a Tornado attack to bring one character down to single digits, or turning one of your characters into a pig. Not too tough, really - just beat him down with physical attacks and fire spells. Keep your HP and MP high during this phase and out of pig status, as the Dark Elf will soon change…

Dark Dragon

Though slightly simpler, the Dark Dragon is also a hell of a lot stronger. It uses two attacks: either a normal hit that is soooo painful, or the all-hitting Dark Breath which is almost as painful… and, y’know, hits everybody. You won’t survive against this guy for long, so you’ll want to plow through this battle quickly. Cast Berserk and Haste on Cecil to get him smacking at full speed, as he’ll inflict a lot of damage with his holy swords, while the rest of your team provides backup. Yang and Cid can provide item support or additional attack damage as necessary while Tellah heals each round. Tellah can use attack magic as well, though it will demolish your MP faster than you might like. It won’t take too long for the Dark Dragon to die ether way.

- Grab the Earth Crystal after defeating the Dark Elf / Dragon, then make your way back out of the dungeon. (That Emergency Exit you just found will do.) The Black Chocobo will take you back to Troia’s side of the river.

- Stock up on any restorative items (Phoenix Downs, Tents, Hi-Potions, Ethers, etc.) that you think you may need, then go talk to the leaders of Troia Castle. This will trigger an event when you return to the airship, forcing you to visit another dungeon…